Going the Distance is worth the trip

September 3rd, 2010

Film: Going the Distance
Director: Nanette Burstein
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Christina Applegate, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Ron Livingston

There are few movies that are true romantic comedies. Most films in this category tend to lean significantly more to one side than the other. Regardless of whether the movie is more romance or more comedy, they always seem to be the weakest in the ‘reality’ category. Going the Distance is one of the few films that manages to pack an ample amount of romance, humour and realism.

Starring real life on/off couple Drew Barrymore (Erin) and Justin Long (Garrett), the film centres on the couple trying to make their long-distance relationship work. After a one night stand turns into a six week relationship, Erin’s internship at a newspaper in New York ends and she returns to California to finish her Masters. Erin and Garrett try to give the long-distance thing a try and find that the lack of available jobs in either person’s home state is the biggest obstacle to their relationship.

Between uptight, concerned sisters and negative friends that don’t want to lose their drinking buddy, the couple find themselves in the same position as many long-distance relationships – spending hours searching for affordable plane tickets, planning phone calls around one another’s schedule, packing a months worth of dates into a weekend, out-of-character jealously over one another’s friends and of course, attempts at phone sex. Whereas most romantic comedies about long-distance dating lead the audience to believe that all cases are riddled with cheating, Going the Distance shows a much more realistic side. Yes, infidelity occurs, but not always. Yes, long-distance relationships are difficult, but not impossible.

While Judd Apatow has been the reigning king of clever, vulgar comedies (it’s a real thing) at the box office, director Nanette Burnstein gives the 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up director more than a run for his money. Sex jokes and toilet humour run rampant in this film and are delivered with impeccable timing and style by the stellar cast. Unlike the majority of Apatow films, Burnstein has made a movie where the women have some of the best lines, as opposed to simply being the butt of the jokes.

Christina Applegate’s role as the cynical, high-strung and overprotective older sister and Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day as the terminally single and socially inept friends steal the spotlight in every scene they’re in. The only thing that would have made these three characters even stronger would have been getting to see them all interact together on screen.

Barrymore and Long’s chemistry on screen is palpable. The couple shines for the first time as comedic powerhouses, with Long playing the straight man and Barrymore infusing her biting wit into her character.

The biggest disadvantage for Going the Distance is that sadly, without the box office draw of a Seth Rogen or Paul Rudd in the lead, many will dismiss the movie as a forgettable rom-com instead of seeing it for what it really is – the strongest comedy of 2010.

Rating: 4 long distance calling cards out of 5